1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to fishing reel spools and an associated line economizer. More specifically, the present invention relates to spinning reel spools that are back-and-forth movable relative to the reel body, and to a line economizer fitted to such spools.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, spinning reels include a rotor, a spool, and a reel body that rotatably supports a handle. The spool is movable back and forth relative to the reel body. The spool includes a tubular bobbin trunk, a flange, and a skirt. Fishing line is wound about the bobbin trunk. The flange is located on the front end of the bobbin trunk and has a larger radius than the bobbin trunk. The skirt is formed integrally with the bobbin trunk on its rear end. A flange-fixing member fixes the flange to the bobbin trunk.
In this type of spool, the bobbin trunk is fitted to the spool spindle directly or via a drag mechanism. The spool spindle is rotatably supported on the reel body. The bobbin trunk in section perpendicular to the spool spindle is a circle. A spool formed as a regular taper in section parallel to the spool spindle wherein the diameter decreases frontward is also known. Likewise known is a spool formed as a reverse taper in section parallel to the spool spindle wherein the diameter tapers off in a rearward direction. The flange in section perpendicular to the spool spindle is a circle concentrically with and having a larger radius than the circular cross section of the bobbin trunk.
With conventional spools of this type, when winding fishing line onto the bobbin trunk, the line is wound on to the level of the outer radius of the flange. The fishing line is then wound, taking care not to let the outer periphery of the wound-on line go over the outer diameter of the flange. The winding operation is finished before the diameter of the outer periphery of the line equals the flange outer diameter.
In the line-winding operation with conventional spools, the line is sometimes gets wound on as far as the outer rim of the flange. When fishing line winds on as far as the flange rim, the line may spill off the flange: so-called xe2x80x9cbacklashxe2x80x9d is liable to occur.
With flat spools having neither a regular taper or any taper, backlash wherein fishing line spills frontward off the flange is likely to occur.
Although backlash is less likely to occur in a reverse-taper spool, xe2x80x9cline-dropxe2x80x9d is unavoidable wherein the fishing line travels skirt-rearward, invades the inside of the spool from the skirt rear end and becomes entangled in the rotor cylinder and spool spindle.
An object of the present invention is to prevent backlash of the line off the flange on a spinning reel spool.
Another object is in a spinning reel to prevent both spool backlash and line-drop.
A spool for a spinning reel according to one aspect of the present invention is a spool movable front and rear together with a spindle for spool relative to a reel body. The spool includes a tubular bobbin trunk and a flange formed on the bobbin trunk. The bobbin trunk is disposed on the spool spindle, with fishing line being wound peripherally around the bobbin trunk. The entire circumference of the rim of the flange extends outwardly from the outer periphery of the bobbin trunk. The height of the flange rim relative to the bobbin trunk differs along the bobbin trunk periphery.
As the fishing line is wound about the bobbin trunk of the spool, it reaches a point where the outer periphery of the wound-on line is the same as the flange rim along the portion(s) where the height of the flange is lowest (minimum position). At this point, between the flange rim along the portion(s) where the height of flange is highest (maximum position) and the outer periphery of the wound-on line, ample distance remains. Therefore, fishing line should be wound with reference to the flange minimum position, such that winding will end when the outer periphery of the wound-on line reaches the minimum position.
Accordingly, the line is wound on under conditions in which backlash outward off the flange is unlikely to occur.
The spool for a spinning reel according to another aspect of the invention comprises the foregoing bobbin trunk and flange, wherein at least one of the bobbin trunk and the flange is a non-circular in section substantially perpendicular to the spool spindle.
Herein, the bobbin trunk and flange are formed in an arbitrary shape that facilitates creating a difference in height between the bobbin trunk and the flange rim. This is not possible in the conventional instance in which the bobbin trunk and the flange are both circular in section perpendicular to the spool spindle.
The spool for a spinning reel according to yet another aspect of the invention comprises the foregoing bobbin trunk and flange, wherein at least one of the bobbin trunk and flange is elliptical in section substantially perpendicular to the spool spindle.
Herein, if the section substantially perpendicular to the spool spindle of either the bobbin trunk or the flange is a circle, the section of other should be an ellipse whose major or minor axis equals the radius of the circle. This accordingly creates a difference in height between the bobbin trunk and the flange rim.
The spool for a spinning reel according to a further aspect of the invention comprises the foregoing bobbin trunk and flange, wherein sections through either substantially perpendicular to the spool spindle are ellipses, wherein the major axes of the ellipses are orthogonal.
Herein, the relative height between the bobbin trunk and the flange rim changes gradually. The bobbin trunk and the flange are accordingly formed as smooth and continuous shapes, in a well-balanced relative disposition.
The spool for a spinning reel according to a still further aspect of the invention comprises the foregoing bobbin trunk and flange, wherein both are circular in section substantially perpendicular to the spool spindle, wherein the centers of the circles are mutually offset.
Offsetting the centers of the bobbin trunk and the flange facilitates creating a difference in height between the bobbin trunk and the flange rim.
The spool for a spinning reel according to yet another aspect of the invention comprises the foregoing bobbin trunk and flange, wherein the two are movable relative to each other. Accordingly the respective centers of the bobbin trunk and the flange may be brought into coincidence, wherein the height of the flange relative to the bobbin trunk is constant along the entire flange rim.
Herein, the bobbin trunk and the flange can be moved into coincident position when casting and into a centers-offset position when winding in line.
A spool for a spinning reel according to yet another aspect of the invention is movable relative to the reel body back and forth together with a spindle for the spool. The spool includes the tubular bobbin trunk, the flange, and a skirt portion. The bobbin trunk is provided on the spool spindle, wherein fishing line is wound peripherally about the bobbin trunk. The flange is provided on the front end of the bobbin trunk and is larger in diameter than the diameter of the front end of the bobbin trunk. The skirt portion is provided on the rear end of the bobbin trunk and is larger in diameter than the diameter of the rear end of the bobbin trunk. Inter-peripheral distance front-endward of the bobbin trunk in a one planar section containing the axis of the spool spindle is shorter than inter-peripheral distance in the same section rear-endward of the bobbin trunk. Inter-peripheral distance front-endward of the bobbin trunk in another axis-containing section planar section is longer in that different section than inter-peripheral distance rear-endward of the bobbin trunk.
In the one section taken through the spool to which the bobbin trunk is fitted and containing the spool spindle axis, the inter-peripheral distance on the front end is smaller than the inter-peripheral distance on the rear end in the same section. Meanwhile, in a another section taken through the spool and containing the spindle axis, the inter-peripheral distance on the front end is greater than the inter-peripheral distance on the rear end.
In other words, in one portion of the bobbin trunk, the inter-peripheral distance on the front end is shorter than the inter-peripheral distance on the rear end. In that portion the outer periphery forms a regular taper, for instance, that tapers from the rear end toward the front end. On the other hand, in another portion of the bobbin trunk, the inter-peripheral distance on the front end is longer than the inter-peripheral distance on the rear end. The outer periphery therein forms a reverse taper that tapers from the front end toward the rear end. The reverse taper prevents frontward movement of the line, so that backlash is less likely to occur. Moreover, since the regular taper at the same time prevents rearward movement of the line, line-drop is less likely to occur.
A spool for a spinning reel according to another aspect of the invention comprises the foregoing bobbin trunk, formed such that inter-peripheral distance in the one spindle-axis-containing planar section decreases heading from the rear end toward the front end, and inter-peripheral distance in the other axis-containing planar section increases heading from the rear end toward the front end.
In this case, the inter-peripheral distance in the spindle-axis-containing planar sections gradually changes. Therefore, the bobbin trunk is formed as a smooth shape.
A spool for a spinning reel according to another aspect of the invention comprises the foregoing bobbin trunk wherein at least either the front end or rear end is non-circular in section.
A spool for a spinning reel according to a further aspect comprises the foregoing bobbin trunk wherein at least either the front end or rear end is elliptical in section.
A spool for a spinning reel according to yet another aspect of the invention comprises the foregoing bobbin trunk wherein at least either the front end or rear end is substantially polygonal in section.
A spool for a spinning reel according to a still further aspect of the invention comprises the foregoing bobbin trunk wherein the one axis-containing planar section and the other axis-containing planar section are orthogonal.
In this case, the normal taper and the reversed taper are perpendicular to one another. Accordingly, the tapers can be disposed in a well-balanced manner, and also a backlash and line-drop can be prevented.
A spool for a spinning reel according to another aspect of the invention comprises the foregoing bobbin trunk wherein at least either the one axis-containing planar section or the other axis-containing planar section is substantially trapezoidal.
A spool for a spinning reel according to yet another aspect comprises the foregoing bobbin trunk wherein a cross section of the bobbin trunk at a portion between the front end and rear end as cut in a plane substantially perpendicular to the spool spindle center is circular.
According to a still further aspect of the invention, a spinning reel line economizer is for a spinning reel spool movable together with a spindle for the spool back-and-forth relative to the reel body. The line economizer includes a bobbin trunk detachably fitted to the outer periphery of a cylindrical portion of the spool on its spindle adapted to receive the bobbin trunk. The bobbin trunk is formed such that wherein it is fitted onto cylindrical portion of the spool, the inter-peripheral distance on the front end of the bobbin trunk in the one planar section containing the axis of the spool spindle is shorter than the inter-peripheral distance on the rear end in the same section. Further the bobbin trunk is formed such that wherein it is fitted onto cylindrical portion of the spool, the inter-peripheral distance on the front end in another axis-containing planar section is longer than the inter-peripheral distance on the rear end in that same section.
Herein, the line economizer wherein fitted to the spool is shaped to taper at once regularly and in reverse. This accordingly prevents backlash and line-drop as likewise described in the earlier aspects of the present invention.
The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.